We Stand Together
by MidnightDarkness666
Summary: Kaede had survived her battle with Mariko, but she knew that she would never be safe at Maple House. On the other side of the world, Alex Mercer had stopped a viral apocalypse, but knowing the truth of what he is caused him to leave in search of something meaningful. When the two deadly mutants meet, it's only a matter of time before things get…complicated.
1. Chapter 1: Cold

**Pairing: Alex x Lucy/Kaede/Nyu**

**Summary: Kaede had survived her battle with Mariko, but she knew that she would never be safe at Maple House. On the other side of the world, Alex Mercer had stopped a viral apocalypse, but knowing the truth of what he is caused him to leave in search of something meaningful. When the two deadly mutants meet, it's only a matter of time before things get…complicated. **

**Warning: Spoilers, violence and SEX! That's right sex! You have been warned…**

**A.N: I'm sorry, but there is a rather long bit of exposition dumping about Kaede breaking into an airport and travelling on a plane. I did this because I wanted to highlight the difficulties she faced getting past security when illegally immigrating to Canada; after all such things don't come easy, even for a mutant. **

* * *

**We Stand Together**

Chapter One:

Cold

Two months after the outbreak…

_Alex's POV:_

Cold… he felt it. He was sure he felt it. His hands were bare and his face was exposed. He could feel the tingling sensation and the pressure as the wind blew across his cheeks, but he didn't feel the sting, nor the instinct to cover up and find shelter. Not even a shiver made its way through his body. It had gotten worse the further North he went; before in Manhattan he hadn't noticed it. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, slouched, hung his head and kicked up a little snow as he stepped forward.

'_Oh great, now I'm acting like a skulking, moody teenager…_again_.' _

Alex Mercer was wandering around the wooded outskirts of Whitby, Canada. He still pondered as to why exactly he still used the name; he guessed it just kind of stuck, like a name for a stray dog. It was late November and the snow was lightly falling.

"_You know Canada means 'village' in Native Iroquois." Dana had told him as he was packing what little he wanted to bother taking._

"_Hmm, why's that then?" He had responded, only half listening._

"_Well, the European cartographers would just grab people and ask them 'What is this place called?' while pointing to the place on the map, and sometimes they got funny answers! Like, there is this one place where its name translates to 'I don't understand what you're saying'!" She laughed, trying to lighten the mood. He just sighed and carried on packing, a little fed up with her hovering over him like some sort of mother goose. He appreciated all she and Dr. Ragland had done for him and how much they risked their lives to help him bring down Blackwatch, but for Christ sake was it too much to ask that they just let him go on his way?_

Alex stopped in his tracks and looked up at the falling snow; he sighed deeply at the recollection. The vapor that came out of his mouth was at least one sign he was still alive, was still on the same biological level as the rest of mankind. There was a stillness out here. The animals had retreated to their burrows and his breathing was the only sound in the frosted-over forest. He'd gotten used to Manhattan and its constant background noise. Now being out in the Canadian wilderness was unsettling for the part of him that still clung to his past, or rather Alex's past. Still, nothing else seemed to interest him or keep his attention, so he passed the time wandering around thinking, yes _thinking. _He didn't want to sound like some hippie and say that he was 'soul searching', nothing so mystical. What he _was_ doing was just trying to figure out what to do next. He came to a break in the canopy, the slow ebb and flow of the falling snow was oddly hypnotic.

'_Here is a good spot.'_

He laid down on his back, his arms and legs outstretched and continued to watch the snow and listen to the silence.

_Kaede's POV:_

'_Run…run…__**RUN!**__'_ was all that went through her mind every time she even thought about stopping. The cold air stung as it passed through her exhausted lungs. Kaede hadn't counted on the little brat that had been sat in front of her happening to look in her direction as she ran across the runway and used her vectors to vault the fence. The sound of 'Mummy, mummy!' was the only indication she needed to know she'd been discovered. To think, things had run so smoothly until now.

_Kaede had snuck into the airport in the early hours when hardly anyone was there and the staff were rotating. Using her vectors to interrupt the security cameras, she'd made it into the waiting room and past the passport and security check. She had run through the empty room and into the toilets, put up the 'Out Of Order' sign she'd brought with her, pulled her legs up onto the seat and waited. She didn't have anywhere in mind, she just hoped it was far, far away._

_After a few hours of sitting on that uncomfortable hunk of plastic, spooning water from the taps with her vectors and twitching her leg up and down impatiently, things started to get busy in the airport. Kaede used her vectors to reflect a small hand mirror over the stall, looking for likely candidates; someone around her age and build would do. All she got, however, was a lot of fat, middle-aged women bringing their offspring in, screaming for the toilet. Her eyes twitched as she resisted damaging their vocal chords so that they could never make such ear-assaulting noises again. _

_Then an odd looking woman wheeling a decent sized suitcase with a hand luggage label had come in and checked herself in the mirror. She was wearing a plaid skirt and a heavy leather belt punched with spikes. An assortment of chains hung from it, her top was a red and black stripped t-shirt with a few safety pins poked in here and there and underneath was a fishnet top. Spiked bracelets cuffed her wrists and a spiked collar hung on her neck. Her lips were painted black, as were her nails. She wore heavy black boots with stripped knee-high socks that matched her top. Yuka had said that people who dressed like that were called 'Goths'. She said they liked the darker side of life and wanted to dress differently from everyone else, because they didn't think and feel the same way. Well, she didn't want to take the chance that someone else her age wouldn't come along._

_Kaede grabbed the woman with one vector, eliciting a gasp from her, and slid another inside her head. She used it to render her motionless and now came the interesting part. She'd worked on a technique that blocked the brain from storing short-term memory; great if she didn't want anyone to remember seeing her. Kaede opened the stall and stepped out, walking to stand in front of the woman. She had a blank look on her face and her black-lined eyes were glazed._

"_Are you travelling alone? When is your flight leaving?" Kaede asked, hoping she was and that the flight was leaving soon before anyone noticed she wasn't the same girl with the suitcase. Besides, she needed more clothes. After the few seconds it took for the question to register the woman spoke:_

"_Yes, I'm leaving in about five minutes." Drawled out from the dark lips. _

'Oh what a stroke of good luck, now please be outside of Japan!'_ Kaede grinned inwardly_

"_Where are you going?" She asked barely able to contain her anticipation._

"_On holiday to Canada."_

'Bingo!'

_The woman groaned as she fell unconscious and Kaede dragged her into the stall. It was a long way to Canada, so she put the woman into a sleep that would last for at least a day. She tied her securely so she didn't fall to the floor, or dangle her legs and arms. Kaede stuffed her backpack into the case so no one would complain she had two hand luggage items, grabbed the ticket and walked out; just in time to see the guards letting people through._

Back in the present, she was still running, carrying the suitcase with her vectors, but she was beginning to tire. The woods didn't seem very thick, residential and industrial areas visible on the edges of the tree line with the danger of prying eyes dwelling there. Kaede had planned her escape route as she came into landing, spying a wiggling line of trees that lead to a large forested area; she just had to follow it and keep to the centre. Of course, this was easier said than done when it was so bitterly cold. The snow slowed her down; her feet sinking with a _'crump'_ every time they landed. Kaede's whole body was covered with goose bumps; her nose was moist and her lips were chapping. The wind stung her eyes and her hands… oh, her hands! She couldn't understand how they could feel numb, but be painful at the same time. The only reason her ears didn't sting also was that she'd yanked her hat down over them.

Suddenly, her foot landed and slipped out from under her, sending Kaede tumbling to the ground. She felt as though her brain was sent hurtling to the back of her head, then flew forward as she landed; bumping against her skull. It made her already jet-lagged and swimming head spin. It was then that a sound rose up from somewhere in her mind. It sounded far off; all she could make out was the first and last letter:

'_F…l' _

Kaede felt disoriented as she picked herself up. Her front was wet from landing in the snow, the cold fabric clinging to her chest and stomach. She swayed and staggered over to pick up the suitcase; her vectors having dropped it. The swirling-dizziness was slowing the adrenaline from its urgent flow, compounded by exhaustion and jet-lag. She trudged through the snow for a few yards before coming to a clearing, bordered by a slope on the other side. Without the adrenalin, Kaede could feel just how tired she was.

'_Surely I can rest for just a while? I've ran so far…'_

She leaned against a tree and sank to the ground; drawing herself up into a ball to defend against the cold. She pulled her thin jacket tighter around her…for all the good it would do. Her head slumped to rest on her knees; the sound rising once more before she closed her eyes.

'_F…l'_

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**A.N: Sorry there wasn't much Alex in this one. What else could I do but cut back to him still lying face up in the snow? Also, how did you like the stray dog simile? Every one of my friends always gushes over that part. The moody-teenager line is a reference to Alex's youth; in the game there is a web of intrigue node where he was described as an obsessive-compulsive with sociopathic tendencies. Also, his mother went to jail, so he and Dana went into foster care. Of course, that was about Dr. Alex Mercer and fans point out that he and the Alex you play in the game aren't quite the same person. However, I imagine it would be hard to separate yourself from someone you have all the memories and appearance of. RnR please and thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2: She Awakens

**Pairing: Alex x Lucy/Kaede/Nyu**

**Summary: Kaede had survived her battle with Mariko, but she knew that she would never be safe at Maple House. On the other side of the world, Alex Mercer had stopped a viral apocalypse, but knowing the truth of what he is caused him to leave in search of something meaningful. When the two deadly mutants meet, it's only a matter of time before things get…complicated. **

**Warning: Spoilers, violence and SEX! That's right, sex! You have been warned…**

**A.N: Again, exposition dumping for the sake of…ummmm an argument I guess? This will be happening a lot in future chapters, because I think it's important to detail what drove Kaede away from Maple House and what Alex has been thinking and doing. However, it's just too much to shove into one Chapter.**

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Chapter Two:

She Awakens

_Alex's POV:_

His eyes shot open with a start and he flung himself to sit up; scattering the fine mist of snow that had settled upon him into the air. He could hear it; one of the numerous sounds that always meant trouble for him; approaching sirens. Alex leaned back on his hands and pushed up, launching himself about six feet in the air before landing on his feet; now stood up.

_'__Shit! Don't tell me they finally found me!?'_ His body writhed; a wave went all the way down to his toes. In its wake his muscles tensed, coiled tight with inhuman strength. Alex clenched his fists hard, moving into his fight-ready stance. It had been a while; part of him had to admit. It felt good to shift out of his usual human lethargy and tap into his superior power and reflexes. The other part of him that was still human felt surprised; hadn't all of this been so he _wasn't_ always running for his life whilst tearing soldiers limb from limb?

He was expecting a fight; only to hear the sirens pass him. He stood there, feeling quite… well, _stupid_ but his curiosity piqued. With a lack of anything better to do, he listened with his advanced hearing, trying to pinpoint where they were really headed. They stopped not too far down the road, at the airport.

Boredom can sometimes be a dangerous thing, as many a teenager with their arm in a sling or their eyebrows burnt off will tell you. Now imagine you can outrun a helicopter, tear a tank in half, survive a nuclear bomb and have the potential to destroy all civilisation as you know it. Yet, you have to blend in, act like every other miserable, useless, human being trudging along with your head down to the same monotonous beat as the rest of them. By now, you'd be pretty damn bored. With that in mind, Alex was off; foot falls leaving craters in the snow.

_Elsewhere:_

"So what are we dealing with?" the officer asked the Senior Constable as they geared up.

"The kid said he saw a girl jump the fence and run off into the woods. Airport security is asking him and the mother some questions. Our job is to see if we can find her and bring her back." The Senior Constable explained as he checked the safety on his pistol.

Another officer looked out at the snow covered wood, remarking: "In this weather? We might not find her alive."

The Senior Constable followed the other's gaze and sighed. "Alright everyone!" he called turning to the four others. "According to the witness, the girl we're looking for is wearing a thin red jacket, black turtle-neck, dark jeans and a trilby. She has pink dyed hair, is around five foot five and is aged about eighteen to twenty-two. It's cold as all hell out here, so if we're gonna find her we need to do it quick. She's young and scared, so approach her friendly and gently; that way she's more likely to come quietly. Now move out!"

"Yes sir!" came the cry of affirmation from the other officers as they set out.

_Kaede's POV:_

_She had to concentrate to keep calm and not jump at every cough and splutter. She kept telling herself that these people didn't know who she was, and as such posed no threat. She had barely managed to escape after the fight with Marik; she had to be inconspicuous now, which meant no killing if she could help it. Of course, this was difficult for someone whose first reaction when encountering even the smallest bit of hostility was to rip heads off. _

_It was all made worse by the little brat in front; turning back and staring at her with wide, questioning eyes on interval. Kaede just glared Lucy's one eyed stare, the one that made soldiers flee in terror, back at the boy until he got the message that no, she was still not in the mood for whatever stupid questions he had. After about the tenth time he turned to his mother._

_"__Mummy, why does that girl have pink hair?" he asked obnoxiously. _

_The woman looked wearily up from her book and briefly turned to regard the source of her son's question, before going back to her book and simply replying in bored fashion: "Because some people like to dye their hair different colours."_

_After that, the brat lost interest and the flight passed uneventfully._

_She wondered what Canada would be like. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little excited about going somewhere new and far away, and also a little nervous. She wondered whether she could make friends like Yuka and Kouta, who she could trust. She wasn't too hopeful though, she knew it was better not to be; she'd been hurt and betrayed too many times to feel otherwise. _

Kaede lay in a half-awake state; curled futilely against the cold. Her head snapped from side to side; she was in a lucid dream, remembering the flight. She'd allowed herself to be hopeful, or what one might call hopeful for her at least. Kaede tried not to, but she couldn't help but feel angry at herself. Time and time again, she'd resolved to always expect the worst; to expect hostility and hate, and yet she did it again! She thought that maybe, just maybe, things would be different, but things were so quickly turning sour in this cold, icy place.

_'__F…l'_

_'__There it was again. Could it be… it couldn't… _Lucy_? But she hadn't awoken since the fight with Mariko.' _

_'__Fo…l'_

_'__Who are you? What do you want!?'_

_'__Fo…l'_

_'__Stop it! Stop!'_

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of a breaking twig; head whipping around to find the source of the sound. Standing just a few meters behind her was a man in a red uniform and a wide brimmed hat. Kaede was confused, until she saw the pistol in its holster. She pushed herself up from the tree and made a panicked dash for the slope across the clearing.

"Wait! Royal Mounted Police, stop!" called the man behind her, "I've found her! She's getting away!" He called out.

All of a sudden she was surrounded by four other men wearing the same uniforms; all of them armed.

"Hold it right there young lady," Spoke the most senior looking one "this doesn't have to be difficult. If you come quietly with us now, you won't get in so much trouble. I'm sure we can get this sorted out."

"No, no this can't be. Argh!" Kaede gripped the sides of her head in pain.

Another officer tried a more gentle approach, "You must be really cold, come with us and we can get you in the warm. Please Miss, we won't to hurt you."

_Alex's POV:_

Alex came to a skidding halt when he saw the group. Skilfully he ducked behind a tree on top of the slope, before peering round to see what was happening. From his vantage point he saw a young woman being surrounded by Mounties. A discontented sigh left his lips.

_'__Typical; an illegal immigrant. What the hell did I think police turning up at an airport were up to?'_

Needless to say; he was immensely disappointed. Not just at the situation, but at himself for getting so worked up over nothing but sirens. He really was bored beyond belief.

Alex was just about to leave when the girl started acting strange; gripping the sides of her head, apparently in pain and blurting out denials. That's when he became suddenly aware of something.

_'__A presence? But I don't see anyone coming. The hell is going on here?'_

_Kaede's POV:_

_'__Fo…l' _The voice in her head began chanting.

"No! It wasn't supposed to be like this!"

_'__Fo…l'_

"Shut up!" Kaede shouted, nails digging into her scalp and teeth gritting because of the pain. The Police officers surrounding her looked on in bafflement.

"Errrr, is she on something?" One officer asked the senior.

_Alex's POV:_

The air became thick with hate and disdain; so thick he could taste it. Alex watched the girl engrossed; trying to process what was happening and anticipating what was going to happen next. He'd felt such hatred before… when he confronted Green. Still, he couldn't help but smirk at the Mounties as a few stood dumb struck and others backed away. They may not have been able to sense the feeling like he could, but even their stunted mammal instinct was enough to raise the hair on the back of their necks.

_Kaede's POV:_

_'__Fo...l'_

"What are you saying!?"

_'__Fool!'_ That was what the voice had been saying all along.

"What?"

The Senior Constable looked the girl, as she talked to herself, with his mouth hanging open. Finally he snapped out of it, "Jones, cuff her", he said to the man standing behind her.

_'__Fool!'_

"No!"

The officer started to approach her carefully, holding the handcuffs out like a shield.

_'__Fool! You honestly thought our horns breaking off was enough to silence me?'_

"When they grew back, you didn't come through…"

_'__We were safe, so I rested, but look at what you've gotten yourself into now.'_

"I made a mistake!"

_'__Indeed, which is why you still need me…'_

"No! You can't!"

_'__Yes! We tried it your way, now it's time for me to deal with this _my_ way!"_

_Alex's POV:_

Suddenly, all the snow surrounding the girl within a two metre radius, was thrown up into the air and began falling again. The Mounties all let out a collective gasp and Alex looked on, riveted.

"What the hell?" he muttered.

Everything bar appearance had changed about the girl. She stood there, back straight, legs apart and fists clenched; boldness had replaced nervousness. She held her head tilted low, fringe covering her eyes. She drew a long breath, before exhaling in what could only be called relief. She smirked, reaching up and taking off her hat. Alex's eyes widened, as two bone like growths protruding from her skull were revealed. The girl raised her head and from behind her hair appeared one staring, scowling red eye. Sneering, she spoke:

"You know, those outfits make you look really fucking stupid."

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**A.N: OMG! This has been waaaay overdue. I apologise, but first I was struggling to find the words, then I got busy with university work; then I killed my laptop in an autistic temper tantrum when it wasn't printing right. Well, Lucy finally showed up and Alex got more scene time. Everybody happy? Cookies for anyone who guessed what the voice in Kaede's head was saying and who it was. I'm just gonna warn you now that the next chapter will get really gory and violent, but who am I kidding? You all watched the anime and played the game, so you're gonna love it really. Plus, our two future love-birds will finally meet! RnR please and thank you!**

**P.S: I'm sorry Mounties, I actually like the cut of your jackets, but red? Really? I think sleek, stylish black would look way better. Were you trying to look like British Grenadier troops without resorting to having badgers eating your heads?**


End file.
